Human Emotions
by Annie-chan
Summary: Sequel to Only a Human. KxL shounen ai. Knives sends Legato out on a mission, unaware it is his servant's last.


**Author's Notes:**  Somebody giving me feedback (gomen ne, but I forgot your name -_-0) asked me for a sequel to _Only a Human_, so, since I was thinking of making a sequel to it anyway, here it is.  You better read _OaH_ first, if you haven't already, or you won't know what the hell is going on with Knives and Legato.  I do believe _OaH_ is the only KxL pairing that I can think of that isn't Legato-torture.  Of course, romantic sap that I am, I just had to write a fic like _OaH_.  This fic, on the other hand, will be far from happy.  Anyway, as with _OaH_, expect tons of OOCness.

I _totally_ redid this story from the one I first posted then removed from the site.  Kira Douji (arigatô, Kira-chan!) was kind enough to send me a script of the scene that takes place also in the anime—I won't tell you what scene, to keep from spoiling it, if you haven't read the original fic—so I can get it a lot more accurate.  I was farther away from the real scene than I thought!  I can't _believe_ I forgot about the Angel Arm and the villagers attacking! O_o  Anyway, I also added at least two new scenes—I may add more as I go along—to flesh out the story (I really don't know how long those scenes will be, though).  So, this revised version of _Human Emotions_ is (I hope) a lot better than the original.  It's more accurate, at least.

_Trigun_ does not belong to me, but to Nightow Yasuhiro and anyone else holding copyrights to it.  Please don't sue me.  I have very little money.

Human Emotions By Annie-chan 

Legato stood in his room, his overcoat, gloves, shoes, and socks removed.  The suns were setting, a perfect view of the sunset visible from his bedroom window.  It was beautiful.  Absolutely stunning.

He heard his door open and close, the lock clicking behind it.

_He far outshines the sunset_, the super-psychic thought, a slight smile on his face.

Two strong arms encircled his waist, pulling him up against a muscular, slender body.  He relaxed and leaned into the embrace.  "Knives," he purred.  "You are a little early."

"I have something I want to discuss with you, first," the blond man said, his mouth at Legato's ear.  "It won't take long."

"Mm," Legato acknowledged, warming at the feel of the soft breath against his skin.  "What is it, may I ask?"

Knives hesitated.  He just stood there, his arms around his lover, not moving, not saying a word.  Legato felt a bit of—apprehension?—stirring in his master's spirit, but it was well shielded.  Legato stood there, silent as well, as he didn't want to seem impatient.  Lover or not, this man was still his master and his superior.

"I…" Knives responded, his voice betraying his uncertainty.  "I want you to confront Vash the Stampede again, tomorrow."

_Ah_, Legato thought.  _That's it.  No wonder He doesn't like it._  A confrontation between Legato Bluesummers and Vash the Stampede would inevitably end with somebody getting hurt.  If Legato killed humans, it would cause Vash pain to know he couldn't help them.  Knives had no love for the humans, but he so hated making Vash suffer like that, which was all the more reason to get him over to his side as quickly as possible.  And, if Vash got angry enough, he may end up physically hurting Legato a lot.  When greatly upset, Vash had hardly any qualms about injuring his adversary seriously, as long as it wouldn't lead to death.  Knives didn't want either thing to happen, but it was unavoidable in this situation.

"You know the rules," Knives said, straightening his voice out.  "You are to make him hurt, but nothing life-threatening if it gets physical.  I would be very upset if my brother died on me."

"Yes, Sir," Legato replied.  His job in life was to cause eternal pain and suffering to Vash the Stampede until he took his rightful place at his brother's side, but he was never to damage him too badly in the physical sense.  Just enough to let the outlaw know he meant business.

"I want you to try to make this the final confrontation between you two," Knives continued.  "We've been playing with him long enough.  Now is the time to make the kill.  Bring him to our side."

"Yes, Sir," Legato said again.  "I swear I will make him come to You, by any means necessary."

"Good," Knives replied.  He said nothing more.

After a minute, Legato finally worked up the nerve to ask a question that had been nagging at him for months.  "Knives, why do You love me?"

"What?" Knives asked, sounding startled.

"Well…You hate humans so much, and…I am human, just like the rest.  Why did You single me out like this?"

Knives sighed.  "You still don't understand, do you?  You're so much more than those creatures crawling the planet, feigning intelligence.  I really don't know when I first started having feelings for you, and at first, I didn't understand how, trying to convince myself that I didn't love you.  But, I just couldn't deny my feelings like that for long.  I guess the best way to sum it up would be 'love is blind,' as the humans say.  I can't control who I love any more than I can control the movements of the suns."

"Hm," Legato said, not sounding terribly convinced.

"Now," Knives said, before Legato could say any more, "enough of that."

Legato forgot about their conversation as he let himself be pulled over to the bed, the suns having set a few minutes ago.  His last thoughts before completely giving in to his master were, _Be ready, Vash the Stampede.  I am coming for you._

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Very early the next morning…

Knives awoke suddenly, aware of a small sound somewhere within the bedroom.  He opened his eyes and scanned the darkness, looking for some kind of intruder.  He felt a flash of mental disturbance and realized the sound had been a whimper, coming from the lithe figure that lay snugly in his arms.  Legato stirred, letting out a sigh that sounded more like a barely suppressed sob.  He was having a nightmare of some sort.

Knives ran a hand through the younger man's soft blue hair, trying to calm him.  When it didn't have much effect, he took hold of the psychic's shoulder and shook him gently.

"Legato," he said quietly, but loud enough the wake the man.  "Legato, wake up."

Legato awoke with a start, his golden eyes wide and fearful.  He began shaking, a few tears sliding down his face, and he clutched the man who held him so close.  "M-M-Master!  Oh, God, You're safe!"  He was obviously greatly upset.  Knives had told him to only call him "Master" when others were around, but Legato always forgot if he was distressed about something.  That didn't happen very often, but it still occurred from time to time.

"Just 'Knives,' remember?" he corrected gently.

"Y-yes," Legato murmured.  "Kn-Knives."  He never showed any emotion, save anger, annoyance and snide amusement, in front of anyone but Knives.  He didn't want his subordinates to think lowly of him as their leader.

_Those subordinates are all dead now_, Knives thought, a tad regretfully.  They were only humans, therefore expendable, but they were good assets, and it was a shame to lose such valuable playing pieces like the Gung-Ho Guns.

"What scared you so much?" Knives asked, still stroking his hair.

"A-a nightmare," Legato answered, calming a bit.  "I-it was so vivid, so real.  It was like I was seeing a possible future."  He drew a breath, trying to keep his voice steady.

"What was it about?" Knives asked.  "Or, do you want to not talk about it?"

Legato sniffed, sounding a bit like an upset child.  "Y-You and Your brother…facing off against each other…shooting to kill…or at least, You were.  You didn't mean for him to walk away alive, and he was equally determined, but I don't know about what.  I could feel such hate flowing from You directed toward him, like I was standing right there, watching it all happen.  I-it was nothing like the emotions I sense in You when I know You're thinking about Your brother.  You…You care for him so much.  I've never seen You so enraged in my life.  The fight even came down to the Angel Arms."

Knives listened silently.

"He…he shot You…through the shoulder," Legato continued.  "You fired back, but he knocked Your gun away.  He shot You again, and again, and again.  Through Your other shoulder and both Your thighs.  I could feel every bit of pain You felt.  You were suffering so much!  He had You on the ground, helpless to move, and…and, he walked over…pointed the gun between Your eyes…a-and that was when You woke me."  He inhaled sharply.  "He was going to kill You!  _I hate that Vash the Stampede!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!_"

"Legato," Knives soothed, trying to placate the man who had broken out again into tears.  He knew how much he meant to the super-psychic, and he also knew that the possibility of losing him was the only thing that could make Legato cry.  "Don't think like that.  I could never hate my brother like that, and I won't allow our conflict to escalate to a fight like that.  I highly doubt he would want it, either."  There were only two people in the world that meant anything to him.  One was Vash, his twin, and the brotherly bond he felt with the brash outlaw had been in place since before he could remember.  The other was Legato, the only human worth saving, worth keeping alive after all the other humans had been exterminated.  Legato hated the other humans as much as Knives did, so he wouldn't be sorry to be the only one left.  He also had a self-destructive streak that worried Knives.  He didn't want to lose Legato any more than Legato wanted to lose him, and he knew Legato probably wouldn't think twice about giving his life to accomplish some goal of his master's.  He had thought of giving Legato orders to never throw his life away like that, but he knew that Legato's desire to fulfill his master's plans was so potent, that the super-psychic just may disobey, no matter how steadfastly he followed all his other orders.

Legato seemed to calm down again.  "I…I know, Knives, but…it just seemed so real."  His crying and trembling had ceased, but he was still rather upset.  "I didn't think it was a dream until You woke me.  The last thing I remember was me screaming for him to stop, but no sound coming from my mouth.  I never felt so scared in my life."

"Shh," Knives soothed, stroking the other man's hair.  "Go back to sleep.  I'm right here.  Nothing bad will happen."  He kept his attention focused on the man in his arms, until he heard Legato's breathing slow as he slid under.  Knives finally let a nagging thought surface.

_He can sense things in the present so easily_, he thought, laying a light kiss upon Legato's hair.  _Can he possibly see the future as well?  Is this nightmare going to come true?_

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Late that afternoon…

Legato Bluesummers stood at the top of a cliff, looking down upon the small town Vash the Stampede was currently staying in.  Legato had sent a rather blatant invitation to meet him up here, and he could even now sense the outlaw's approach.  He let his thoughts wander to the human inhabitants of the town.

_We should have died a long time ago, you and I_, he thought, as if addressing the townsfolk, _the instant we fell upon this sandy land without pain and without sorrow.  Now, the schedule has merely been set back.  The end is near; it is time to embrace it.  That is why I must…I must end it._  Vash the Stampede was only a few yards behind him now, and he could sense his master's twin's fury.  _End it now._

He turned around, meeting the glare he was being given by the tall blond man.  "This is the climax, Vash the Stam—ah!"  He was abruptly cut off as Vash whipped out his gun and shot toward him, skimming his left shoulder.  The gunman shot three or four more shots, always coming close, but just barely missing hitting him, making him stumble.  It was obvious that Vash meant to miss those shots.

Vash waited for the mad psychic to regain his balance, then trained his aim upon Legato's left eye, breathing heavily, trying to contain his rage.

"So, do you hate me?" Legato asked, almost mockingly.

Vash couldn't find words to say, he was so angry with the man before him.

"If you do," Legato continued, "I wouldn't blame you.  So many sad things happened to you.  Whether they are friend or enemy, the people you meet die.  It's enough to sap one's tears."  He ended with a slightly sarcastic note to his voice.

Vash immediately clicked the safety on his gun to the off position.  "Shut up!"

"You know this is not finished yet," Legato said, trying and succeeding in egging the outlaw on.  He opened one eye, giving Vash and eerie look.  "Did you expect the end to come so easily?"

Vash gasped, beginning to realize this was a setup for something terrible.

"Don't you understand you aren't human?!" Legato quipped, a bit nastily.  He raised his left hand as he continued, his voice rising.  "It is time to realize exactly who you are!"  He abruptly clenched his hand into a fist, ripping the top part of Vash's gun off, revealing the tiny reactor-like mechanism inside.

"Oh, no!" Vash cried as the light flared up, his eyes widening in horror.  "Please!  It can't be!"  He was beginning to panic, his heartbeat and breathing quickening to an almost deadly pace.

"There is power in that light," Legato said, again calm.  "Power that you have always possessed.  This represents _what_ you are."

Vash staggered back, the Angel Arm going out of control and rapidly swelling, ripping the arm of his coat to shreds.  Sweat broke out on his skin as he tried frantically to quell the transformation, memories of July City he'd rather forget flashing all too vividly in his mind.  The arm completed its growth, gathering deadly energy into its monstrous shape.  "I-I can't…!" Vash almost screamed, the shadows from arm's light dancing in mad patterns over him and his surroundings.  "Not again…NOT AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"  He let out a bestial shriek as he finally brought the arm under his control, forcing it back down.  It shrank back into a handgun, and he collapsed to his knees, his breathing labored.  He glared at Legato, who merely stood there, watching with obvious interest.

"Haven't you given up yet, Vash?" Legato asked, sounding slightly irked.  "It's really quite annoying."

A shot rang out of nowhere, hitting Vash square in the right shoulder, almost knocking him down.  He cried out in surprise, whipping his head around to his right.  To his dismay, he saw a group of townsfolk, all armed, their eyes blank.  Legato's puppets.

"Bastard!" Vash hissed, his breathing still difficult.

"You're out of options," Legato said, seemingly ignoring Vash's anger.  "Fight back, or you'll die."  Another shot sounded as one of his puppets responded to his mental command, shooting toward Vash, skimming his right cheek.

Vash raised his gun, his hand shaking violently, aiming at Legato's forehead.

"Huh," Legato almost sneered.  "Why don't you go ahead?  I would welcome this to be my time.  After all, there's no reason for an egocentric, incomplete life like mine to be allowed to continue anyway.  Give me the gift of nothingness!  Give me death!"  His voice was becoming extremely disconcerting, almost making the outlaw back away.  "My Master is waiting for you.  He is looking forward to your visit."  He raised his left arm again, the arm that was not of his own flesh.  "I was compelled to attach this arm to me.  I had to, because you refused to be by His side."

Vash winced, sucking in his breath as he was shot in the back of his right knee.

"Kill me," Legato practically commanded.

"I…I can't" Vash answered, trying to keep his voice steady through the mental and physical pain assailing his senses.

"Go ahead," the madman whispered.

"I can't!" Vash heatedly repeated, looking away and lowering his gun.

Legato closed his eyes again, silently sending the command to his puppets to bring in the hostages he had them take.

"Milly!"

Vash looked quickly over to where the voice came from, and was horrified to see Meryl get thrown to the ground next to Milly, who was already facedown.  They were both terrified, almost in tears as they pleaded to be let go.

Vash's eyes flew wide, his emotions boiling up again to an almost unmanageable level.  "Stop it!" he cried to Legato, anger and fear clear in his voice.  "No more!"

One of the townsfolk fired his gun, hitting the ground between Meryl and Milly's heads.  They screamed.

"I said stop it now!" Vash shouted at the still passive Legato.

The super-psychic opened his eyes, a crazed look in them.  "Then, shoot me!"

Vash found the hand holding his gun moving not of his own accord, aiming at Legato.  He watched, almost sickened, as Legato knelt down before him, his head bowed, the gun barrel against his forehead.

"It's alright," Legato said, his voice soothing.  "Kill me.  It's simple.  All you need do is pull the trigger."

Vash was frozen, terrified out of his mind and frantic for an answer to this situation that didn't involve fulfilling the madman's designs.

"Once you have killed me, this will all be over," Legato continued, his voice still soft.  He smiled slightly.  "Come on, time to choose.  You have free will."

Vash gritted his teeth almost painfully and looked away, refusing to acknowledge the choice given him.  "Stop it.  Don't make me shoot."

The girls screamed again.

"Your faith is hopelessly obstinate," Legato said, trying a different tactic, looking Vash straight in the eye, "to actually believe in the prattlings of a woman who spoke in idealistic terms that are worthless."

Vash stared down at him, aghast at what he had just said.

"I guess that kind of thinking is reasonable for someone who's lived for more than a century," Legato almost sighed.  "But, that…that way of life is pathetic, even comical!  Rem Saverem, ha!  A wasted existence who only spoke in aggravating logic."

Vash felt extreme anger welling up inside of him again.

"Tch, a worthless human being," Legato smirked.  He ignored Vash's mounting rage.  "Just like me, but unlike you."

"That's enough!" Vash roared, jumping back up to his feet, his gun pointed straight at Legato's forehead.

_Luck and persistence won't work forever._  Vash almost jumped.  That was Nicholas D. Wolfwood's slightly snide voice he had just heard.  He almost didn't notice a bullet piercing his left shoulder.

_As we journey through our lives, we must always search for ways to make everyone happy._  Now it was Rem Saverem's voice he was hearing.  He was shaking.

_Don't force your way of life upon others!_  Nicholas again.

The girls screamed.

_No one has the right to take the life of another._  Rem again.

Don't tell me your dreams in a world like this!  Nicholas, sounding bitter. 

Legato smiled and looked up at Vash, knowing the outlaw was quickly wearing down.

_If you keep your vision clear, you will always find the future._  Rem.  Now, he could almost _see_ her, standing next to him, counseling him.

"Please…no!" Meryl and Milly shrieked.

Vash was desperately trying to hold back his tears.  His eyes suddenly snapped open, staring down at Legato.

Legato smirked again and lowered his head back down, closing his eyes.  His time had come.  _I understand, Master.  Vash the Stampede will experience eternal pain and suffering.  Farewell._

A screech from the girls.

The explosion of a gunshot.

His head whipped violently back.

Silence.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Vash watched, numb, as Legato's lifeless body fell to the ground in front of him.  No blood.  He had died instantly.  Somewhere in the back of his mind, Vash was thankful.  The man had not suffered.

He had failed.  He had broken his promise to Rem, had taken another's life, had become a murderer, just as the rumors about him said.

Knives had won.

He dropped the gun to the ground, falling to his knees, silent tears coursing down his cheeks.  He was a killer, just like the Vash the Stampede of legend.  Just like Knives.  So many people had suffered and died because of Knives' mad obsession to bring them together again.  Now, he was no better than his demented brother.

He hardly felt hands on his shoulders as the newly freed girls tried to break him out of his trance.  All he could see was Legato's still corpse.  All he could hear was the memory of Legato's smooth voice, practically pleading to be killed.

_This man was sick_, he thought.  _Only someone with no mind left of their own would want to destroy himself like that.  This…this is _worse_ than suicide!  Knives…Knives, this is _your_ doing!_  If Knives had never brought this man into his care as a child, Legato may have never turned into such a monster.  Yes, he may have died on the streets, alone and hungry, but even that was better than being the willing slave of a madman.

He reached out, touching Legato's face.  It was rapidly cooling, the slight smile frozen for eternity on that bewitching visage.  A single drop of blood had made its way from the bullet hole, due to the angle his face was turned at.  He would soon be buried by the sand.  The desert winds would take care of that.  A corpse didn't stay visible very long in the desert.

Vash got back up, turning his back on the cadaver and walking back toward the path that led down the mesa and back toward town.  Demetery.  Knives was there.

_Brother.  I am coming.  Wait for me_, he mentally called to his brother.  To himself, he added, _We'll just see who brings the other to his side.  This will be hard…but, I have to make him see the light again!_

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Out of nowhere, words.  _I understand, Master.  Vash the Stampede will experience eternal pain and suffering.  Farewell._

The words cut through Knives' consciousness like the acutely sharp objects from which he took his name.  Legato.  They had to have been from him.

A surge of dread washed over him.  Farewell?  What happened?  Why is he saying goodbye?

He was about to send an inquiry as to what he meant, when all he touched when he searched for Legato's consciousness was a cold emptiness.

_What?!_  He tried, again and again, to find his lover's presence.  Nothing.  Frustration and fear were quickly building in him.  _Where is he?!  Why can't I find him?!_  _Legato!  Answer me!_  He began to feel desperate.

"No…" he whispered, his eyes wide with shock, after several more attempts.  "No…this just cannot be!"  There was no other possibility.  Death.  It couldn't be anything else.  Legato was dead.  Vash had finally killed willingly.

_Vash!_ he mentally cried, though restrained himself from sending the thoughts to his twin.  _I didn't want you to kill him!  Anybody but him!_

He should be happy.  He had finally broken thought his brother's defenses, finally forced his hand, finally introduced him to the cruel but necessary doctrine of killing some to save others.  But, happiness was farthest from his mind at the moment.

He dropped to his knees were he stood, tears spilling from his eyes.  He couldn't help but feel profoundly betrayed.  He knew very well that Vash had no knowledge of his brother's relationship with the super-psychic, but his feelings could not be denied.  One of those he held most dear had been taken away from him at the hands of the other object of his affections, his own brother.  It was almost too much to bear.

Another consciousness suddenly touched his.  _Brother.  I am coming.  Wait for me._

Vash was coming to Demetery to settle the score.  A sudden rush of anger unlike any he had felt before burned through Knives.  His accursed brother was coming to face him.  He was probably going give him some sermon on how it was wrong to kill, then try to turn him away from his chosen path in life.

_That hypocrite,_ he thought vehemently.  _That fucking hypocrite!  He has no _right_ to preach to me after what he has done!_  He leapt to his feet.  _You better come quickly, Vash the Stampede.  I will be waiting for you.  You will either join my cause or die!  I swear to you, I will kill you myself!_

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Two weeks later…

_Did I really mean that?_ Knives asked himself for about the millionth time since the confrontation between him and Vash.  He had been unconscious for almost twenty-four hours after he had been shot, and he had woken up in the bed he was now lying on in a hotel room.  Vash had been sitting on another bed a few feet away, watching him.  He hadn't been able to move, but his spirit was too spent to even try.

It had taken nearly five days of arguing, whittling away at Knives' defenses, then finally negotiating, but Vash had eventually convinced him to give up his personal crusade and try to get along with the humans.  Since then, he had stayed in the room, too injured to go out, healing up.  Normally, a Plant would have been completely healed of four simple bullet wounds by now, but Knives' wounded soul had somehow affected his physical healing process as well.

He had tried to kill Vash.  The knowledge hurt him very deeply.  He had lost himself in the madness of his grief over Legato's death, and had been blinded to the fact that, if he killed Vash, he would be bereft of both of the people who meant the world to him, instead of just one.  Try as he might, though, he couldn't help but hold himself responsible.  If he hadn't made Legato confront Vash, if he had just devised some other method…hell, if he hadn't started this whole mess in the first place, he would still have both of them.  Yes, he may still be estranged from Vash, but at least Legato would be alive and—physically—well.

_He really had foreseen the future_, Knives thought.  Reality had been exactly like Legato had described his dream.  He had been scared to death that Knives would be killed, but had been woken too soon to see Vash take pity on his brother, bind his wounds, and take him back to town with him.  It was uncanny.  Just how many dreams did the super-psychic have in his life that were actually random prophesies of the future?!  He would never know.  No one would.

_Oh, Legato_, he thought miserably.  _I miss you so much!  I want to see you again!_  Tears, the first he had shed since Legato's death, began flowing from his eyes.

As fate would have it, Vash took that time to walk into the room, carrying some food items.  He stopped cold when he saw tears marking his twin's face.  He hadn't seen Knives cry since they were very young.  He set the items on the small table between the two beds as he walked to his brother's bedside.  His eyes never left Knives' face.

"Knives?" he ventured, sitting on the edge of Knives' bed, laying a hand on his arm.  Knives opened his eyes and looked at Vash.  "What's wrong, Brother?" Vash asked.

Knives closed his eyes again and drew in a shaky breath.  After a minute, he opened his eyes again, staring at the ceiling.  There was no point in hiding it now.  He said only one word:  "Legato."

"Legato?" Vash repeated, sounding confused.  "Why would he make you cry?  He's been dead for over two weeks!"

Knives let out a near sob that stopped Vash in his tracks.  He turned his face away, refusing to look at Vash again.  "That's just it!" he moaned.  "He's dead!  God, I loved him, Vash!"

He heard Vash's breath catch in his throat, and the surge of shock in his brother's spirit.

"Oh, no.  Knives…" Vash began.  "I'm so sorry.  I didn't know how much he meant to you."  He, too, looked tearful.

"Don't be sorry," Knives replied.  "What's done is done.  But, still…I miss him so much!"

He felt a gentle hand dry his tears with a soft, clean bit of cloth that was on the bedside table.  He looked up and beheld Vash, a slight smile on the outlaw's face.  He was managing to keep his tears in check.

"It's okay, Knives," he soothed.  "I'm sure you'll be with him again, someday.  For now, you need to concentrate on getting better.  You don't want to spend the rest of your life an invalid, do you?"

A small smile made its way to Knives' face.  "No, I guess not."  He managed to push his dead lover out of his thoughts for the moment, listening to Vash's idle chatter as his brother described to the letter what had happened to him that day in town.  Knives didn't know why, but he found these one-sided conversations amusing.

It was getting late, and after they had eaten—Knives didn't eat much, as he wasn't that hungry—Vash laid down on the other bed and was soon asleep.  Knives, on the other hand, took longer to fall asleep.  He simply lay there, watching and listening to his brother as he slept, wondering what kind of dream he was having right now, or if he was dreaming at all.

As he finally dropped off, he sent a silent prayer to Legato's spirit in the afterlife.  _Legato, I love you dearly.  I'll be with you again, someday.  Please wait for me._

Owari 

**Author's Notes:**  Before you tell me, I know Legato would never even think of disobeying his master, and I know Knives would never come to hate his brother like that (I heavily support, as do most of you, the theory that Knives' actions toward Vash aren't out of hate, but out of a messed up version of love), and I know that Knives would severely punish Legato for saying that he hated Vash, but this whole fic is one big "what if?" OOC bonanza, so I can do whatever the hell I please! :P  Sorry…I just had to say that. -_-  Oh, and I know I didn't put Vash in the coma that he fell into in the anime, but oh well.  I just said a second ago that this was a "what if?" fic…

One big thanks to Kira Douji for emailing me the script (twice, because I accidentally deleted it the first time she sent it).  I hope she knows how much I appreciate her help. ^_^

Anyway, how did this turn out?  I don't know if it's my best work or not, but it turned out okay, at least…I hope.  I think this version is a lot better than the original.  I pulled the original from the site, so I don't take up space.  Now, let me know what you think at mangareader@hotmail.com, onegai shimasu!


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